Begonia plant named ‘Encanto Orange’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Begonia  plant named ‘Encanto Orange’, characterized by its compact, pendulous and mounded plant habit; freely basal branching habit; and numerous single flowers that are bright orange in color.

Botanical designation: Begonia pendula×Begonia boliviensis.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Encanto Orange’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Begoniaplant, botanically known as Begonia pendula×Begonia boliviensis, andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Encanto Orange’.

The new Begonia plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Amstelveen, The Netherlands. The objectiveof the breeding program was to develop new hanging Begonia cultivarswith numerous brightly-colored flowers.

The new Begonia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in December, 2006 of a proprietary selection of Begonia pendulaidentified as code number 03-H-27, not patented, as the female, or seed,parent with Begonia boliviensis ‘Bonfire’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat.No. 15,108, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Begonia plant wasdiscovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant fromwithin the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlledgreenhouse environment in Amstelveen, The Netherlands in May, 2007.

Asexual reproduction of the new Begonia plant by cuttings in acontrolled greenhouse environment in Amstelveen, The Netherlands sinceJuly, 2007, has shown that the unique features of this new Begonia plantare stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Begonia have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensity,without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Encanto Orange’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Encanto Orange’ as a new and distinctcultivar of Begonia:

-   -   1. Compact, pendulous and mounded plant habit.    -   2. Freely basal branching habit.    -   3. Numerous single flowers that are bright orange in color.

Plants of the new Begonia can be compared to plants of the female parentselection. Plants of the new Begonia differ from plants of the femaleparent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Begonia are more vigorous than plants of        the female parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Begonia have smaller leaves than plants of        the female parent selection.    -   3. Plants of the new Begonia have larger flowers than plants of        the female parent selection.    -   4. Flower color of plants of the new Begonia is less intense        than flower color of plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Begonia can be compared to plants of the male parent,‘Bonfire’. Plants of the new Begonia differ from plants of ‘Bonfire’ inthe following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Begonia are not as compact as plants of        ‘Bonfire’.    -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Begonia are lighter green in        color than leaves of plants of ‘Bonfire’.    -   3. Flowers of plants of the new Begonia are larger than flowers        of plants of ‘Bonfire’.    -   4. Plants of the new Begonia and ‘Bonfire’ differ in flower        color as plants of ‘Bonfire’ have orange red-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Begonia can also be compared to plants of the Begonia‘Victoria Falls’, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No.12/228,283. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Amstelveen, TheNetherlands, plants of the new Begonia differed from plants of ‘VictoriaFalls’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Begonia were more freely branching than        plants of ‘Victoria Falls’.    -   2. Plants of the new Begonia had longer and narrower leaves than        plants of ‘Victoria Falls’.    -   3. Leaves of plants of the new Begonia were glabrous whereas        leaves of plants of ‘Victoria Falls’ were pubescent.    -   4. Plants of the new Begonia had single flowers whereas plants        of ‘Victoria Falls’ had double flowers.    -   5. Plants of the new Begonia had smaller flowers than plants of        ‘Victoria Falls’.    -   6. Flowers of plants of the new Begonia were lighter in color        than flowers of plants of ‘Victoria Falls’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new Begonia plant, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Begonia.

The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical floweringplant of ‘Encanto Orange’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTIONS

Plants used for the aforementioned photograph and following observationsand measurements were grown in Amstelveen, The Netherlands in 12-cmcontainers and under commercial practice in a glass-covered greenhouseduring the spring and summer. During the production of the plants, dayand night temperatures ranged from 15° C. to 20° C. and maximum lightlevels were 18,000 lux. Plants had been growing for four months when thephotograph and the description were taken. In the following description,color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society ColourChart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionarysignificance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Begonia pendula×Begonia boliviensis    ‘Encanto Orange’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Begonia            pendula identified as code number 03-H-27, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Begonia boliviensis ‘Bonfire’,            disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,108.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About 15 days at temperatures of            about 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About 14 to 18 days at            temperatures of about 20° C.        -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; white in            color; plants of the new Begonia have not been observed to            form tubers.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Compact, pendulous and mounded            plant habit; freely basal branching with about five to six            primary branches per plant; primary branches with secondary            branches at potentially every node. Moderately vigorous to            vigorous and moderate to fast growth rate.        -   Plant height.—About 15 cm to 20 cm.        -   Plant width.—About 35 cm to 40 cm.        -   Branch description.—Length: About 15 cm to 20 cm. Diameter:            About 3 mm to 6 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close            to 173B.        -   Leaf description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:            About 12 cm to 14 cm. Width: About 4 cm to 5 cm. Shape:            Ovate to lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Cordate. Margin:            Serrate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,            glabrous. Venation pattern: Palmate; reticulate. Color:            Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close            to N134C; venation, close to 134B. Developing and fully            expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 135C; venation,            close to 135C. Petioles: Length: About 6 cm to 8 cm.            Diameter: About 4 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:            Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper surface: Close to 134B.            Color, lower surface: Close to 135C.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flowering habit.—Single flowers arranged in cymes. Freely            flowering habit with about six to seven open flowers per            cyme. Flowers pendulous and face mostly outwardly or            downward.        -   Fragrance.—Not detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower continuously during            the summer in The Netherlands.        -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about four weeks on the            plant; flowers persistent.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 4 cm to 5 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 7 cm to 9 cm.        -   Flowers.—Diameter: About 4 cm to 7 cm. Depth (height): About            3 cm to 4 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Shape: Ovoid. Length: About 2 cm to 3 cm.            Diameter: About 2 cm to 3 cm. Color: Close to 28B.        -   Tepals.—Arrangement: Rosette. Quantity per flower: Usually            about five to seven per flower arranged in a single whorl.            Length: About 4 cm to 5 cm. Width: About 2 cm to 3 cm.            Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acute. Base: Cordate. Margin: Entire.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color:            When opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 28B. Fully            opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 28A; color does            not fade with development.        -   Flower bracts.—Quantity/arrangement: Two, opposite. Length:            About 1 cm to 2 cm. Diameter: About 1 cm to 2 cm. Shape:            Obovate to rounded. Apex: Obtuse. Base: Sagittate. Margin:            Entire; undulate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,            glabrous. Color, when opening, upper and lower surfaces:            Close to 145C; towards the margin, close to 29D. Color,            fully opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 145D;            towards the margin, close to 29C.        -   Peduncles.—Angle: About 30° to 45° from vertical. Strength:            Moderately strong. Length: About 5 cm to 6 cm. Diameter:            About 4 mm to 5 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close            to 179B.        -   Pedicels.—Angle: About 90° from the peduncle. Strength:            Moderately strong. Length: About 4 cm to 6 cm. Diameter:            About 2 mm to 3 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close            to 172D.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens and pistils not observed.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production have not been            observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common to    Begonia has not been observed.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Begonia have been observed    to tolerate temperatures from about 10° C. to about 40° C.

1. A new and distinct Begonia plant named ‘Encanto Orange’ asillustrated and described.